Lost motion locking device



July 31, 1962 F. J. RUSSELL LOST MOTION LOCKING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 51, 1960 IN V EN TOR. FRED J Bus SELL ATTORNEYS July 31, 1962 F. J. RUSSELL LOST MOTION LOCKING DEVICE 2 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Oct. 31, 1960 Im- I IIIIIIJ'IIIJ 7/12! INVENTOR. FQEBJRUSSELL ATTORNEYS 3,947,327 Patented July 31, 1962 3,047,327 LOST MO'IIUN LGIIKING DEVICE Fred J. Russell, 38% Don Feiipe Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Oct. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 66,384 3 Claims. (Ill. 292--359) The invention relates to door locks and is more especially concerned with the building of structure into a door lock so that it provides greater assurance against unauthorized entry. Although the principle involved possesses a relatively broad application, it is especially advantageous when used in compact locks wherein a substantial portion of the locking mechanism is contained in a compact fashion around or in alignment with spindles or portions attached to a shank or extension on one of the operating assemblies.

A typical lock of the type here under consideration constructed in the fashion currently acceptable involves an inner operating assembly embodied in a knob and its shank arranged in such fashion that the knob itself serves as a means for manipulating a privacy lock or a keyoperated lock. That is to say, instead of using an auxiliary knob or button to bar the door in the inside against entry from the outside, the knob itself is manipulated by pressing it inwardly toward the door and then rotating it. Structure of the type providing for such operation has been shown and described in Patent No. 2,709,911.

Although the structure here made reference to has been widely used as a privacy lock or a key-operated lock, it has been found that allowable tolerances of the several parts accumulate on certain occasions to an extent which makes it possible for an unauthorized person to strike the outer operating assembly with some instrument such as a heavy rubberized shaft or mallet to transfer a rotational shock to the locking device which may be in the inner operating assembly and rotate the locking and unlocking element in a direction which agrees with the unlocking direction of the locking device thereby to release the lock and gain unauthorized entry, often without marring or otherwise revealing how the entry has been achieved.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved lost motion locking device capable of being incorporated into a lock which is capable of inhibiting unauthorized entry merely by a slight rearrangement of the locking parts and without altering in any substantial degree, the customary mechanical design and construction of the lock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved locking device usable as a privacy lock or key-operated lock wherein the parts preserve the same mechanical design and relationship as has heretofore been found acceptable for normal operation but wherein clearances have been readjusted to a degree which is the newly adjusted form prevents inadvertent opening of the lock from the outside by unauthorized means.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved locking device frequently known as a keyoperated lock or privacy latch wherein normally close spaces between rotationally operated parts are widened to a slight extent thereby to provide space for lost motion between the parts capable of destroying the prospect of making use of impact to disturb the locked relationship of the parts.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the operating parts of the device in locked relation immediately prior to the final position of those parts in locked position;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the parts in final locked position;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken at right angles to the views illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 showing the parts in the positions corresponding to FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional View similar to FIGURE 3 showing the parts in the position of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURES 1 and 2 but showing the parts in unlocked position;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional View taken along the lines 7-7 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIGURE 2.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration, there is shown by way of example an inner operating assembly indicated generally by the reference character It} and a spindle 11 which extends into the inner operating assembly from an outer operating assembly (not shown) and omitted in the interest of simplicity in illustrating the device. Included in the inner operating assembly is a knob 12 which has a shank 13 projecting therefrom into an escutcheon assembly 14. A mechanical locking assembly indicated generally by the reference character 15 is mounted on the inner side of the escutcheon assembly and is manipulated by the knob 12. Simply stated, in unlocked position, the knob 12 is extended outwardly in the position of FIGURE 5. When locking is to be accomplished, the knob is moved axially from left to right as shown in FIGURES 1 through 5 inclusive from the position of FIGURE 5 to the axial position of FIGURE 1 and there rotated about 45 degrees. After rotation, the interlocking relationship thus created holds the knob in the position of FIGURE 2 until it is later unlocked. Unlocking is accomplished by rotating the knob 12 in the opposite direction throughout the same 45 degree distance after which a coiled spring 16 will return the knob to the initial position of FIGURE 5.

For mounting the knob upon the escutcheon assembly 14 the escutcheon assembly is provided with a mounting plate 17 under a decorative rosette 18. Centrally disposed with respect to the mounting plate is a bearing sleeve 19 which serves as a support for the rotating shank 13. A bracket 20 has legs 21 terminating in feet 22 which are anchored by an appropriate attachment 23 to the mounting plate 17. By this arrangement the bracket 20 is spaced an appreciable distance from the mounting plate sufiicient to contain the operating parts of the device.

A spindle lock washer 25 is located beneath the bracket 20 and has in it a square opening 26 which receives the spindle 11 non-rotatably within the spindle lock washer. The spindle, as shown in FIGURE 6, is a hollow tubular spindle and is free to slide endwise in the spindle lock washer while being non-rotatably contained therein. On the spindle lock washer are two pairs of locking projections 27 and 27' facing in opposite directions and received within complementary apertures 28, 28 in the bracket 26. The spindle lock washer is normally urged away from the face of the bracket 29 by action of the spring 16 previously identified. It will be apparent from an .examination of FIGURE 5 that when the spring 16 is distended, thus shifting the spindle lock washer 25 to the position there shown. the locking projections 27, 27 are disengaged from the apertures 28, 28 in the bracket and that hence the spindle 11 when it is rotated is capable of rotating thelock washer; but that when the spring is depressed and the lock washer is moved by manipulation of the knob so that the locking projections 27, 27' are received within the apertures 28, 28, the lock washer is prevented from rotating and hence in this position of adjustment the spindle 11 cannot be rotated. This means, of course, that any operating assembly such as would be the outside knob cannot be rotated for unlocking purposes.

For the lock to be operative it must be capable of being held in one or another of the two positions of adjustment of the lock washer, namely, either the unlocked position of FIGURE 5 or the locked position of FIG- URES 2 and 4. A set of movable parts capable of interengagement is made use of in accomplishing this. These parts include a collar 30 which rests against the inside face of the mounting plate 17 and which surrounds the shank 13 in a manner such that the shank freely rotates with respect to the collar. A detent plate 31 is mounted on a reduced inner end 13 of the shank 13 and arranged so that the detent plate is non-rotatably mounted whereby when the shank and the knob is rotated the detent plate will also be rotated. This is accomplished by providing a flat surface 32 on the reduced inner end 13 of the shank and by providing a hole 33 in the detent plate which is non-circular and presents one straight side 34 matching the flat surface 32. This relationship is best observed in FIGURES 7 and 8. A snap ring 35 made use of in the conventional fashion is employed to attach the detent plate to the shank against a shoulder 31.

To interrelate movement of the detent plate to the spindle lock washer, prongs 36 are provided in the collar. The prongs pass through arcuate slots 37 in the detent plate which provide at opposite ends of the slots shoulders 38 and 39. It will be clear from an examination of FIGURES 7 and 8, where the arcuate slots are shown in plan view, that limited rotation exists between the detent plate and the collar defined by the length of the arcuate slots 37 in that the prongs 36 will abut against one end or the other at opposite limits of movement.

In the spindle lock washer 25 are recesses 40, one of which is shown in the upper portion of FIGURE 6. The prongs 36 also extend into the recesses 40 so that they always maintain the collar 30 in non-rotatable relationship with the spindle lock washer but permit a movement of about degrees between the detent plate and the lock washer as well as with respect to the collar. From this it will further be observed that when the locking projections 27, 27 are extended outwardly into the apertures 28, 28 thus attaching the spindle lock washer nonrotatably to the bracket and preventing it from rotation, the detent plate will still be capable of a rotation of about 45 degrees and that when the spindle lock washer is moved axially so that the locking projections are out of the apertures, the spindle lock washer will be free to rotate as will also the detent plate and the knob 12 and its shank 13. The rotation last described is the rotation depended upon for unlatching the door.

Further still in the unlocked relationship of FIGURE 5 a pair of detaining earns 41 on the collar 30 extend into corresponding passages 42 in the detent plate 31 and hence in this particular position of adjustment, namely, the unlocked position of adjustment when the knob 12 is rotated in either direction, the detent plate will also be rotated, as will the spindle lock washer and the attached spindle; and hence both the spindle and the inside knob will rotate together.

When the device is to be locked, the knob 12 and the shank 13 as previously indicated are moved axially from left to right from the position of FIGURE 5 to first the axial position of FIGURE 2 wherein subsequent rotation of the knob to retain same in locking position may take place. During axial movement the shank shifts the detent plate 31 axially also in a direction from left to right until the passages 42 are lifted clear of the cams 41.

This movement compresses the spring 16. After the recesses have been cleared of the ends of the earns the detent plate is rotated the permitted distance of about 45 degrees counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 7, until cam recesses 44 are located over the respective cams 41. At the full extent of this rotative movement the shoulder 39 will be moved into engagement with the prong 36 as shown in FIGURE 7 but the cam recess 44 will be offset slightly with respect to the cam 41 in each instance. Thereafter when the hold of the operator upon the knob 12 is released, tension in the spring 16 acting against the detent plate will press it upon the earns 41 and by virtue of the relationship existing between the recesses 44 and the earns 41 shown in FIGURE 1 the detent plate will be given a very slight reverse rotation, in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 8 so that the shoulders 39 are moved slightly out of contact with the prongs 36 leaving a 10st motion space 43 therebetween.

By virtue of the fact that the earns 41 lie beneath the detent plate 31, the detent plate will be held in the position of FIGURES 2 and 4. It is important to note that during movement of the shank 13 and the detent plate 31 from the axial location of FIGURE 5 to the axial location of FIGURE 1 and accordingly FIGURE 2, the spindle lock washer is pushed against by the innermost end of the shank 13 embodied in the reduced portion 13 and accordingly the locking projections 27, 27 will by that movement be projected into the corresponding apertures 23, 28. This is the motion which locks the spindle 11 against rotation because of its non'rotatable connection to the spindle lock washer. This locking relationship is held and maintained because of the fact that the earns 41 underlie the detent plate 31 and hold it together with the shank in the position just described which prevents the spring 16 from acting to disengage the locking projections.

To unlock the device the knob 12 and its shank 13 are rotated in the opposite direction which results in rotation of the detent plate clockwise (see FIGURE 8) until the passages 42 again reach a position in alignment with the earns 41. When this takes place, action of the spring 16 pushes upon the spindle lock washer and accordingly against the shank i3 and also the detent plate mounted thereon so that the detent plate is moved toward the collar and the passages 42 are moved to positions surrounding the corresponding earns 41. During this movement the locking projections are moved out of engagement with the apertures 28, 28' and the spindle 11 thus becomes free for rotation in the usual fashion.

Of material consequence is the provision of the lost motion space 43 shown in FIGURE 8 when the device is in locked position. Referring, by contrast, to the relationship of parts shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 which heretofore has been the conventional relationship of parts in locked position it will be noted that there the shoulder 39 lies in engagement with the prongs 36. In this position a rotational impact could be created by striking the outside knob (not shown) attached to the spindle 11 in a fashion causing it to rotate in a clockwise direction (see FIGURE 7). Because the prongs 36 are contained in the recesses 40, this could result in the transfer of a rotational impact shock first to the spindle lock washer and then to the prongs 36 and then to shoulders 39 of the detent plate 30. Under these circumstances, a force indicated diagrammatically by the arrow 45 in FIGURE 7 would be transferred to the shoulder 39 and accordingly to the detent plate 31, causing it to rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 7, which is the unlocking direction. This force could be great enough to rotate the detent plate the necessary 45 degrees, permit ting the earns 41 then to enter the passages 42 where unlocking could take place.

In the device in the form herein constructed where the lost motion space 43 is made use of, the shoulders 39 are removed from engagement with the prongs 36, as clearly shown in FIGURE 8. In this arrangement, should a rotational impact be created such as is indicated by the arrow 45, the prong would first have to travel the distance provided by the lost motion space before it could be forced into contact with the shoulder 39. This space in the ordinary mechanical assembly of the device would inherently be too great to permit transfer of the impact to the shoulder 39 and hence would destroy the prospect of knocking the detent plate so as to move it in the unlocking direction to unlock the lock. Even under special circumstances where the impact might take place, the presence of the lost motion space 43 is sufiicient to destroy its effectiveness.

Accordingly, by merely relocating to a slight degree the cam recess 44 upon the detent plate so as to create the lost motion space 43, the locking device is made secure against inadvertent opening without otherwise making it necessary to alter or rearrange the ordinary working parts of the mechanism.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. In a door lock having an outer operating member, an inner operating member, a stationary member, and a collar, said inner operating member having a rotatable and axially movable mounting relative to said stationary member and said collar, a lock washer having a nonrotatable engagement with said outer operating member, said lock washer having a locking engagement with said stationary member in one axially shifted position and disengaged from said stationary member in another axially shifted position, a detent element on said inner operating member, an extension of said collar being in axially slidable and nonrotatable engagement with said lock washer, cam elements respectively on said collar and said detent element, a lost motion space extending in a circumferential direction between the detent element and a portion of said extension of said collar when said detent element is in locked position and said cam elements are in full engagement whereby to inhibit disturbance of said detent element from locked position as a result of rotative impact transferred to said collar from said outer operating member.

2. In a door lock having an outer operating member, an inner operating member, a stationary member and a connecting collar, said inner operating member having a rotatable and axially movable mounting relative to said stationary member and said collar, a lock washer having a non-rotatable engagement with said outer operating member, said washer having at least one locking element in engagement with said stationary member in one axially shifted position and disengaged from said stationary member in another axially shifted position, a detent plate having a non-rotatable mounting on said inner operating member, at least one connecting prong on said collar extending into non-rotatable engagement with said washer, said plate having means interlocked with said collar in unlocked position of said plate whereby to interconnect said inner and outer operating members, said plate having a locked position impressed against said washer when said washer is moved to a position of nonrotatable engagement with said stationary member and locks the outer operating member against rotation, cam elements respectively on said collar and said plate adapted when in engagement to detain said plate in said locked position, a shoulder on said plate having a rotation limiting position with respect to said prong in said locking position of the plate, the shoulder on said plate being in engagement with said prong when said cam elements are in partial engagement and having a rotative position when said cam elements are in full engagement determining a lost motion space extending in a circumferential direction between itself and said prong whereby to inhibit disturbance of said plate from locked position as a result of rotative impact exerted through said outer operating member.

3. in a door lock having an outer operating spindle and an inner operating assembly, a stationary member for attachment to a door, a connecting collar having a rotatable relationship relative to the stationary member, said inner operating assembly including a shank having a rotatable and axially movable mounting relative to said stationary member and said collar, a spindle lock washer having a non-rotatable engagement with said spindle, said washer having at least one locking element in engagement with said stationary member in one axially shifted position and disengaged from said stationary member in another axially shifted position, a detent plate having a non-rotatable mounting on said shank and located between said collar and said Washer, at least one connecting prong on said collar extending in an axial direction past said plate into non-rotatable engagement with said washer, a detaining cam on said collar, said plate having a passage in alignment with said cam in said unlocked position of rotation of said plate whereby said cam is received in said passage and non-rotationally interconnects said shank, said plate and said Washer, said plate having a cam recess in alignment with said cam in a locking position of rotation of said plate wherein said Washer is in said position of non-rotatable engagement with said stationary member whereby to lock the spindle against rotation, a shoulder on said plate having a rotation limiting relationship with said sprong and spaced therefrom providing a lost motion space therebetween whereby to inhibit disturbance of said plate from said locked position as a result of rotative impact exerted through said spindle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,482,926 Milligan Sept. 27, 1949 2,484,961 Russell et a1. Oct. 18, 1949 2,709,911 Russell June 7, 1955 

